Forever And Always?
by MidnightSakuraBlossom and SYD
Summary: Since they were children, Orland and Aria have been interested in each other. Now that they're teenagers, they find themselves falling for each other. They want to together, but certain issues between families and their kingdom nearing a battle, can they be forever and always? Or will unexpected circumstances drive them apart? Contains mostly OrlandxAria, and side SeraxAaronxSerena
1. Where We Are Now

StormofyourDestiny: Greetings, readers! Me and MidnightSakuraBlossom are here with our first-time collaboration fic! That's right, we wrote this and exchanged plot points and ideas together, it was rather fun I admit!

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: I know, right? I loved staying up at midnight high on coffee and throwing ideas around. *Sighs* Brings back memories from when we were tweens...wait, what the fuck? I'm still young! I'm twenty, I shouldn't be talking like an old hag! TT_TT**

StormofyourDestiny: ...Mmm hmm. *Hands a box of tissues to MSB* Ahem, yes, so you should know that not all chapters were written by one person. We each are taking turns writing them, so don't feel confused if there's any difference in the writing style. Although we do write a little similar (we would not if I didn't type a little bit more American than I usually use in speech. But my dear friend claims that most of the people who read this stuff are American and would find my use of Scottish and British English intimidating. Ah, the life of being mostly Scottish/British and having an Italian-American-born friend...) at times.

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: *Slips out of her sorrow and smiles again* So this story will be long, we're guessing it should have...maybe twenty chapters _at the most_. Honestly, we don't have a clue. But this long-fic is based off of my good friend's one-shot "We're Getting WHAT?", a sequel of sorts. You should read that one first, not only will it give you information that you may need to understand this story...but it's soooo adorable~! *Is a huge Orland fan just like SYD***

StormofyourDestiny: Orland and Aria are sixteen, they have developed feelings for each other and wish to be married since they are the legal age now. But complications arise because of past mistakes, misunderstandings, grudges and scars, and even an unexpected pregnancy!

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: This first chapter was written by SYD. I let her kick it off so to speak. We hope that you like the fic, 'cause we are crossing our fingers right now and hoping to God it's well-received by the reading public!**

**MidnightSakuraBlossom, **StormofyourDestiny: **N**e**t**h**e**r **o**f **u**s **o**w**n **R**u**n**e **F**a**c**t**o**r**y **B**T**W**.

* * *

Forever And Always?

Written By: StormofyourDestiny and **MidnightSakuraBlossom**

Chapter 01: Where We Are Now

* * *

Alvarna is a small place in the kingdom of Norad. Not very big or populated, way out in the countryside. But it was a place where mostly everyone stuck together even during the unpredicted drama that conjures up from nowhere.

Aria loved living here, however. She couldn't imagine ever living because this was definitely a nice life she had. Her father, Kyle, was very good with farmwork and she inherited his love of it and dreams of making a success out of it. Her mother was pretty and smart and a nurse. Her twin brother could be a pain because of his skirt-chasing ways, and the fact he wanted to someday travel the world and see new places, but she loved him deep down. They all lived together on a farm and had some pretty tight friendships forged over the years.

Aria loved to go out into the various monster-infested areas to go adventuring. She learned how to use weapons and magic at a young age because of her father suddenly disappearing and not returning. At least her and her brother could bring him back.

Who is Aria? A teenage girl, almost sixteen years old. Her and Aaron's birthday was on Spring tenth, which was in five more days. Needless to say, both were excited. Aria was adventurous, spirited, a little awkward when it came to girly topics, and shy when it came to the opposite sex.

Her downfalls were simple and straight to the point: she was still a bit tomboyish (though she could not be compared to Cammy, whom was now in her twenties and married to Roy. It was amazing how they put up with each other.) and naïve to the world around her. This caused her to get into her fair share of awkward situations throughout her life. Aaron, of course, getting dragged head first into it all when his efforts to sooth things fizzled out.

The sun began to gently reach into a newly-remodeled farmhouse, through the windows of a small bedroom. A lump underneath the mess of blankets squirmed momentarily before giving in and sitting up. The covers fell, to reveal a teenage girl with shoulder-length red hair going in every direction, drooping hazel eyes, and pale-ish skin. She brought a hand to her mouth and yawned loudly.

"Aria! Aaron! Wake up!" Could be heard outside the room in a small hallway that led to each bedroom. Aria tried to fight back the urge to sleep and gave in to her father's usual wake-up calls. She loved him of course, but they did get on her nerves sometimes.

Right when her feet hit the floor, someone began knocking on her bedroom door. "Aria, are you awake yet? Do we have to take drastic measures?"

_Drastic measures implies he will burst in armed with most horrible food item in the world: disgusting fried rice. _Aria thought to herself, just the thought of fried rice made her cringe. It wasn't that it was totally uneatable...however... _I once got sick off of some bad fried rice when I was eleven, can't even look at it the same way now. I feel like I'll puke._

"Aria, are you awake?"

"Yes, Dad, I'm up! I'm up!"

"So I can go stuff this plate of fried rice I bought from Yue the other day back into the fridge?"

Aria merely clasped a hand over her mouth, hoping that the brief image of a picture of fried rice wouldn't make her throw up all the contents of her stomach right there. It was admittedly a little harsh that Kyle resorted to this to get her up, but sometimes...being a little cruel is just the kind of parenting you need. Especially with kids like Aaron and Aria.

Moments later, Aaron yawned loudly and stretched his arms above his head as he padded through the small hallway of the farmhouse. His dad had woken him up right when he was having the most beautiful dream about two certain twins he has been chasing since he was kid; Sera and Serena. Occasionally he wondered if he could ever win those two over completely, but he knew that there would come a day he would have to make that deadly choice...which one of them he liked the most.

Aaron was certainly getting taller now, he was maybe two inches over Aria whom was a little beyond average height. His messy red hair fell to his shoulders, slightly spiked at the edges. His hazel eyes were drooping with the desire to curl back up and resume his enticing dream, but his determination to not get yelled at and lectured won and fought it back. He was clad in a tan-colored short-sleeved shirt that went to just above his pelvis with a holder for weapons and items fastened around that,

worn black pants, and brown boots that reached just above his ankle – Kyle had given them to him last year for his birthday saying that they had a magical ability to make him more agile in combat and it actually was true.

Aaron finally made it to his sister's room and didn't bother to knock before busting in. His sister – slightly older than him by a total of one and half minutes – was standing in front of her full-length mirror dressed in her usual clothes and now brushing her short red hair that was held in two thin and slightly spiked ponytails resting at her shoulder blades.

Seeing his reflection in the mirror, Aria smiled in an attempt to disguise her irritation of his lack of respect for privacy and turned to face him. She couldn't help but chuckle darkly as she noticed how tired he seemed to be.

He was obviously dreaming about Sera and Serena again. It seemed like he just couldn't shake his feelings for either of the two now-beautiful girls.

Aria was now taller, a little more than average height but still couldn't look at Aaron face to face anymore. She had grown up a lot, now more developed in certain areas and also quite fit and strong from all the fighting she does in the monster-infested areas of the kingdom. She now was clad in long-sleeved white shirt that covered the stomach, a knee-length olive-clored skirt with leggings under that, and short, somewhat heeled boots that their mother had given her from when she was younger.

"I see someone in this room has been dreaming about two twins from school~" Aria sang teasingly, once she grinned smugly at the realization. She then chuckled to herself at seeing Aaron glare at her defensively. The older twin merely shook her head and tossed the hairbrush back on a vanity table. "Lighten up, Aaron. It's just a joke."

"I can't deal with this now, sis...there's something strange about these dreams..." Aaron seemed to say this uncomfortably, his tone became lowered and more nervous as he went on. Aria couldn't help but notice this as she grabbed a brown bag for items and attached it to the decorative belt loosely hanging around her tiny waist.

"Yeah, people tend to dream about someone they _love_." Aria deadpanned as if this was the most obvious thing in the world, she chuckled again and pushed past her brother to get through the door arch, but that was when he grasped her arm tightly to prevent her.

"Hear me out, there's something not right about these dreams. They come every night now, without warning. I don't mind seeing it all, Sera and Serena are so gorgeous...but...they act so...so..."

"So what? Aaron, what do Sera and Serena do in your silly, wish-fulfillment dreams?"

"Actually, I'm embarrassed to say."

"Pfft. That's no fun! You're such a weirdo sometimes!"

Aaron furrowed his brows together and was near arguing back. Like every other time something of this effect happened in the morning, he never got the chance to get her back because Aria was already ungracefully leaving the room and then sliding down the staircase to get into the kitchen for some breakfast.

With a sigh, her ignored brother tried to push out any remembrance of his odd dreams and made his way into the kitchen after her.

Just minutes before school began, the twins arrived at the front doors after scarfing down their breakfast like usual and heading off. Each morning seemed to go this way for them ever since years ago, when their father finally returned home. But neither could complain, they liked where things were now...it felt like their lives were normal.

And little did they know, their lives were about to get very eventful very soon.

* * *

Aria was the first to arrive at the large, maroon doors of the school building. It hadn't changed much and still had the rustic and comfortable atmosphere as it always had when she was young. She patiently stood there, arms folded and a small smile present on her face as she watched the few students pass back and forth or talk with each other.

She could make out Aaron walking between Sera and Serena, they were joking together and laughing. Their good moods were contagious as always. The two twins were so beautiful now, but they hadn't changed much other than that. Sera was still a little tomboy-ish while Serana still liked to be quiet and hit the books.

Leann was alone, she was gorgeous too almost like a fragile doll as she made her way into the school stopping only to give Aria a kind smile as the two were pretty good friends. Aria had returned the smile and gave a belated 'hi'. But the person she was waiting for had not arrived yet.

Leonal was probably already in the building, this was what Aria assumed. He liked to arrive early for some reason that she still didn't quite understand. She and him got along fine, although he did still have a little crush on her that he masked often. Aria merely brushed it off if anyone else mentioned it, but she didn't have the heart to reject another person by telling them to give it up. So she still let him be her friend.

Finally, as the seconds ticked and ticked, a certain elf had finally shown himself for the day. Aria could feel her flat lips form a smile and her mood to perk up at sight of him. And she also reminded her heart to not skip a beat, Orland was pretty sexy now...but that doesn't mean she should let herself fall so low and fawn over a friend because of that shallow reason.

Orland strolled up to the building with a certain way that could make the girls swoon whether they wanted to admit it or not. He was so cool and composed, like he could take a big-bladed sword and chop up a monster without even blinking. Although, this was a funny thought for Aria. She knew he would never do that. But she did often joke about him being a knight in shining armor to come to her rescue when they went into those dangerous areas together.

His light blond hair fell a few inches below his shoulders, wavy and silky like girls'. His blue eyes were constantly slanted and almost always cold and clouded. His skin was pale and delicate from a distance. And he was clad in a light gray shirt with one sleeve, his chest slightly exposed, pale blue pants, and thin sandals.

And it was no secret around the school that he was labeled the sexiest guy by the girls, he would always be very composed and never even look at them when they giggled and joked about it. If it were someone like Aaron in his place, now he would have probably let it go to his head.

"Orland, good morning!" Aria called out, her smile so bright that the sun above them had some competition. Orland didn't even flinch when she came over quickly and casually threw an arm around his neck and held a gaze with him. "Well, is there something you want to say to me...?"

"What is it, Aria?"

"You don't know...do you?" Aria pouted for a second, before giving Orland a look full of fake hurt. She was almost a master at doing this, it was a way she always had her way with the adults when she was a child. Everyone else at the time wished they possessed her skills. "Try and guess at least! Five days from now going to be a big day for me and Aaron."

It didn't take seconds for a case of realization to hit. Orland knew what was going on now, he nodded and met her eyes again. "Your birthdays are nearing, right?"

"Yup, we're going to be sixteen! Practically adults!" Oh, the mere thought of it made Aria more than just excited. She couldn't help but pump her fist in the air and fantasize about what lie ahead in life. "I will be legal to marry, drink, and buy sexual-related items and entertainment. Oh, I can't wait for it...it will be so awesome."

"Being sixteen isn't all that great," Orland reminded Aria, deadpanning almost. His lack of enthusiasm about their birthdays murdered the mood. Aria could merely grimace. "I've been sixteen for two days now and all my dad does is lecture me about being a man and that I need to be very strong and responsible for everyone I care about. Mother claims he's right, she tells me I must do this to be a good husband in the future." A very faint shade of pink sneaked into his cheeks at the last part, Orland's gaze retreated from Aria's features and leveled to the ground. "Needless to say, I need a break away from them. Being older is not all that great when you begin to realize-"

"Oh, Orland, you really like to ruin any fun. You're still the same old grumpy, reserved boy I used to know and go weak to my knees over!" It was supposed to be playful teasing, Aria knew this. And she would have ordinarily laughed more than what she did after saying that.

But she...didn't. It was more strained than anything.

The held a gaze for a moment, a short time period of which Aria was smiling in a wave of nostalgia and Orland began to compare their relationship now to when they had first met.

When they first met, Orland never had any intention of befriending her. Even though his father wasn't quite as rude and bitter towards humans, he still had certain grudges and Orland just adopted a bit of hostility towards them as well. But Aria...she wasn't about to give up on making him change his ways. She was a determined girl whom didn't easily let him walk away thinking that she and other humans were disgusting and beneath him.

Aria did anything to befriend him. Finally, it payed off. They became something of friends, although Orland refused to admit it to anyone he didn't label trustworthy to keep that on the down low. In fact, it wasn't much of a secret that when young, they had developed crushes on each other and even did a ridiculous pretend wedding at the church.

The only witnesses to that affair were strictly Gordon and Cammy. And Orland made the two bigmouths swear to keep what had been seen classified. Laughing, the two promised to never speak of it again in their or in the company. Thankfully; they kept it shut all this time because no one else had any idea.

Now, Orland wondered if he managed to rid himself of that haunting crush. They were practically adults, or soon to be. And they were only kids at the time, too young to understand what love was.

If anything, he was totally over her. Aria, in return, was totally over him. Just as it...should be?

Discarding the thought, Orland noticed Aria was beginning to walk into the building as the bell began to ring loudly. He followed alongside her as the conversation resumed.

"Anyway, I don't think you seem to understand what it means to be getting older. More responsibilities and worries, more or less."

"Maybe so, Orland. But me and Aaron can take it, we're both so ready to grow up and have everyone else stop viewing us as children."

"If either of you would act more mature, maybe your parents and all of the other adults around the town wouldn't think of you as children."

"I take offense to that!" Aaron called out, Orland and Aria paused in one of the long hallways of the school to see the latter's brother walk up wearing an offended look. "Orland, who says I'm not mature? Years ago, at nine or eight, I actually fought monsters with my sister and trained myself to wield swords. I even set aside time for schoolwork and relationships too." His look faded into a more smug one as a smirk appeared on his lips. "No one can say we haven't grown up. And soon, everyone will realize it."

"Can't wait!" Aria cried out with thrill before giving her brother a high five. Orland watched the scene, rolling his eyes.

It seemed like neither of them would understand. Maybe it was just because he had always been the most serious one out of basically the entire town ever since he could remember. Rarely smiling, laughing, or generally feeling like life was fantastic. Jake and Cecilia never could understand fully why he was like this, and he could never give an answer.

Some may say he just matured fast, or he just was more in tune with the darker side of the world. He knew about suffering, death, all kinds of bad things that happened in surrounding places. Other children at the time would have either been traumatized by hearing that stuff or brush it off.

Maybe of these days, the twins would realize not everything was perfect and as it should be.

"Aaron, come with us!"

"Class is about to start, we want to sit near you!"

The trio looked down the hall to see Sera and Serena leaning against the wall near the door to the main classroom. Both were smiling flirtatiously and beckoning their crush over.

The two still looked similar to each other and barely left the others' side. However, there were some differences to distinguish the two.

Sera's hair was still short and barely reaching down her neck, silver and decorated with an indigo decoration around her head to keep her fringe separated from her eyes. She had gotten more curvier and busty for her age. She wore a sky blue dress with long sleeves that reached to her mid-thigh. Black tight pants. And silver sandals reaching up above her ankle with tied straps.

Serena's hair was longer down her waist in a long braid and her fringes concealed her forehead entirely. She wore some silver jewelry like looped earrings and multiple bracelets. She wore a violet dress almost exactly like her sister's except for the fact it reached her knees and was slit on the sides exposing her tight black pants. She wore silver, worn boots. She was just as curvy as her sister, and unconsciously drew males' gazes to her, as her chest was larger than hers, she tried not to get attention however. It made her feel embarrassed.

"I'm coming!" Aaron turned back to Aria and Orland, a blush slightly rising to his cheeks as they looked on knowingly. "So, you two can finish your talk. I'm gonna go on to class."

"Aaron, you're seriously going to-"

"Yes, yes, I know what you're going to say, sis. 'Choose between Sera and Serena, you can't date both'." How many times has he been told he needed to choose between the two gorgeous twins? Too many to count. But he liked both, he didn't know what the hell to do. "It's not like we don't know that, but Sera and Serena both care about me and I return it. Isn't happiness all that matters?"

"Aaron, I'm not one to wear my heart on my sleeve," Orland commented with no emotion in it. What else could Aaron do but scoff at this? "In your place, I would try and consider which of them you prefer. Maybe they look almost the same, but they both have varying personality traits and habits that you may prefer over the other."

"Orland is right, but happiness still matters. You have a point..." Aria sighed and looked off into the distance as she got a mental picture of their parents. Kyle and Dorothy seemed so happy together, though she sometimes wondered if there was any conflict in them hooking up. "Anyway, all we want you to understand is that dating the two of them at the same time gives unfortunate implications and what if you want to marry them? Last time I checked; a man can't have two wives in this kingdom."

"No one said that when we did a pretend wedding when we were kids..."

"Yeah, little brother, but you have to realize Sera and Serena just thought it was a tea party. Or something like that. When you came home flustered and lovestruck, you never told me or Mom much of the inside details. Which, now, I would be more than interested in hearing."

Before Aaron could reply hotly, the twins skipped over and then dragged a barely-protesting Aaron with them so they could find some good desks together or something like that. The two really liked Mana's classes after all and tended to be early.

Aria and Orland quietly made it to class together after this. Unknown to him, the spirited red-haired girl kept stealing looks at him. Just smiling fondly as she compared how things were now as to when they were young and almost completely carefree. Thinking about how she used to have a big crush on him – which she was totally sure had vanished hopefully – and always dreamed about the day they would finally be married for real. It was almost embarrassing to admit she had no clue what he meant that day they confessed and he claimed they should get married.

And there were times, as they grew up and matured, that iffy moments popped up. Moments that were a light case of sexual tension like accidentally holding hands intimately, making compliments come out a little too flirty, and not deny rumors that they were boyfriend and girlfriend even though they were false.

Of course, crushes like that don't last. And there was no way she was becoming like Aaron and being trapped in a hopeless romantic dilemma. For now, their lives would remain the same.

To get off this uncomfortable topic, Aria switched the focus to her and Aaron's birthdays coming up. She couldn't wait, it would be awesome. Hopefully unforgettable...

If only she knew what she was about to fall head first into.

To Be Continued In Chapter 02

* * *

StormofyourDestiny: Yes, yes, the first chapter was complete shit. But I can assure you that it will hopefully get better as we go. This was mainly one of those introductions designed to be boring and give you a general idea of the current plot points and character relationships. What it will all be like. Think of it like the first episode of most anime.

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: ANIME RULES INFO: EACH EPISODE MUST DRAG ON AND ON AND INTRODUCE THE CHARACTERS AND GIVE A CRAP TON OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLOT BEFORE ANYTHING EXCITING HAPPENS. Right, my friend?**

StormofyourDestiny: You understand this concept very well, at least. Here, my best friend in the whole world: your prize is a special chocolate cupcake with sprinkles atop. *Tosses MSB the cupcake*

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: *Catches the cupcake and eats it fast***

StormofyourDestiny: Now then, there are plenty more cupcakes leftover for reviewers. If you press that button, send a message, and maybe even make two fellow authors' day, you win them. And you, yourself, will also win in general. 8) Hope you liked the chapter, and we shall continue to keep up this story no matter how long it takes to finish! Bye bye now~!

~ StormofyourDestiny and **MidnightSakuraBlossom**


	2. Just Friends, Or Maybe Not

StormofyourDestiny: A thousand apologies for the waiting! Me and MidnightSakuraBlossom were very busy with various things in life. There are too many things to list at this moment, and I know none of you probably care about our lives. But I understand.

MidnightSakuraBlossom wrote this chapter, however she couldn't write in her statements in this A/N due to locking herself in her room and having another one of her anime marathons. So, here I am to fill in the space with chapter information.

This chapter may not seem like much, but the story is intended to slowly progress. And soon enough, the actual plot will be coming into play. We intended for the first chapters to be short and suspiciously dull in the beginning. It's called storytelling – the right way. Haha.

Enjoy the chapter! Please read and review, criticism is just fine. Flames will be put into a bonfire for me to roast some marshmallows and have s'mores!

Disclaimer: Rune Factory never will belong to me or MidnightSakuraBlossom.

~StormofyourDestiny

* * *

Forever And Always?

Chapter 02: Just Friends, Or Maybe Not

Aria wasn't sure if anyone knew that she occasionally felt very weird around Orland. It wasn't normal, she didn't feel quite as casual and cool. Like she did around other boys. With him, it was always very unusual.

She played off with a wave of her hand, however. If she felt strange around Orland, it was probably normal for girls her age. Although she was honestly annoyed with the fact as hormones took control against her will, she would be like the other girls around here developing crushes left and right.

Her mother explained to her a few years ago, when she hit puberty, that she would start acting and feeling weird around guys occasionally. It was normal and bound to happen sooner or later. And hopefully, her feelings around a close friend whom just happened to be male would go away as the hormones died down.

Aria could have easily taken this problem to her mother, or some of the older women that she visited and chatted with daily. But she hated having to endure those ridiculous girl-to-girl heartfelt talks. Those were the worst, so _**awkward**_ and _**personal**_...

She didn't want to admit to anyone she felt strange around her friend, Orland was important to her. She looked out for him, he looked out for her. Simple as that. And maybe she did flirt with him – playfully. None of the flirting was serious, she hoped. When she whistled after he removed his shirt during training for fighting, or when she batted her eyelashes and then kissed his cheek when he scolded her for being too reckless or stupid, she was sure none of that was out of subconscious desires.

The way Orland reacted in these moments was just cute, and urged her to continue. She liked to think he didn't know just how _**alluring **_he had grown up to be, so when she stared too long or playfully flirted, he would react in stoic manner and not acknowledge it. But she could pick out the deceiving blush forming on his cheeks and ears and the way he almost smiled. Almost. Briefly. Blink and you miss it.

So she blamed teenage hormones for this nonsense. It made perfect sense. And with her mind made up, Aria could go on with life and not worry that her strange feelings for Orland would grow into something horrible.

Sounds like she has everything under control, right? Well, not so much. It all took one simple moment after class to make Aria notice these hormones were going much too far...

* * *

Class had wrapped up for the day, it was nearing three o clock and ended earlier due to the fact they didn't have Barret teaching anything. He had previously been out researching magic and got into a fight with a monster. The monster did get defeated, but Barret had some deep scratches and good beatings to his back, so he was now trying to recover in the hospital temporarily. Aria had felt some sympathy for him, she had made a mental note to visit him later that night after she practiced fighting with Orland, and helped Aaron and their dad with some farm work.

"Aria! Aria!" Aria had been in the middle of grabbing her shield and sword from her rucksack as she walked out of the school building. A high-pitched female voice had filled the silence as it always did randomly. "Wait! I want to ask you something!"

Aria couldn't help it, she had to release a very long sigh as she processed just who was running up to her at top speed right now. No doubt about it, this was Sophia.

Sophia was the daughter of Alicia, the local fortune teller whom tended to con others and work her own predictions. Sophie had a little bit of a tense life because her mother wasn't one to settle down with a man even if she deeply loved him. Alicia had once took a trip to some other place called Trampoli and while there, met this incredibly nice and handsome man named Raguna.

Alicia never had gave away details behind this to just anyone, although Natalie confided to her about this when she asked. What she knew was that Raguna and Alicia were briefly an item in that place for at least two seasons, during the time of which Raguna was struggling between staying with her or the other young woman he had his eyes on whom lived there and was really emotionless. So on her last night there in Trampoli, they had one sexual encounter and agreed to never speak of their time together should they ever meet...because it was for the best.

Long story short, that one night eventually led to Alicia becoming pregnant with his child. And she discovered upon returning home. Sophia came to be this way. Never really knowing about her father.

Casting this story from her mind, Aria put on a smile as the slightly-taller girl ran over and threw her arm around her shoulder in a friendly and casual manner. As if they had been friends for years. Sophia was one year younger than her, but she looked mature for her age.

Sophia had chocolate brown hair shoulder-length and wavy, her eyes were blue, and it was obvious she got her mothers genes in the chest area. She wore a crimson long vest over a black sleeveless top, a thigh-length black skirt, chain mail over her legs, and silver pointed boots. It wasn't that Aria found her repulsive or anything, she just found her tendency to be overly friendly irritating.

"Sophia, how nice to see you." Aria greeted blandly, faking a smile. Sophia wasn't stupid or anything, she just didn't pay much attention to people's body language to tell what they were really thinking. "What is it that you want to ask me? I can't talk long, Orland is waiting for me in our usual place."

"I won't talk long. I promise." Sophia giggled girlishly, causing Aria to roll her eyes and consider walking away. "Anyway, what are we doing about you and Aaron's birthday comin' up? A large gathering for the celebration? Should I get grandma Natalie to make some of her delicious pumpkin pudding as well? Man, I just love her pumpkin pudding! She makes it so differently compared to the usual recipe miss Mana taught us back in cooking class..."

"Well, Sophia, me and Aaron have been talking it over with Mom and Dad. They want it to be a big deal and all as it usually is around here. But we kind of want a simple gathering and nothing too huge...because we'll need all the energy we need for the next day when we adventure around the borders of Alverna for the first time!"

"You're never going to turn sixteen again!" Sophia pointed out, it followed a disappointed sigh. "C'mon, you can't seriously tell me you don't want to make the evening memorable!"

"I mean it." Aria began to walk away, Sophia followed like a lost child as she tended to do around her. "Sophia, no large parties. We're gonna make it simple, and yet memorable at the same time with the people closest to us. Then, the next day, we go out on an exploration around the borders where all the real action lies!"

Not many other than Kyle and Sophia knew about Aria and Aaron's plans to go beyond the border of Alverna for most of the day after their birthday is over. As technical adults, they felt it will mark their age of freedom and independence. That they could do whatever and decide for themselves.

And it seemed like a grand world beyond Alverna. It wasn't like they wouldn't return that night, but they just wanted to see something different. Both would tell everyone about their plans that day they set out, and swore to not let it slip out beforehand.

And the reason Kyle knew was because the twins trusted their father a lot, and he did tend to be one step ahead of them most of the time. Sophia knew because she once overheard them talking about it while helping Kyle till the land and plant some spring crops.

Aria looked up at the sky, noticing how late it was getting. She immediately pulled out her blade and shield again, shouting a goodbye to Sophia before running off and leaving her alone.

Sophia stood there staring as Aria ran. She really didn't know why she left so quickly, maybe she had some chores to do at home? Or did she have to relieve herself? So many questions so little time. But, in any event, she finally sighed and walked off in the direction of her home.

If Aria and Aaron didn't want a big celebration, so be it. But that didn't mean _she _had to take this occurrence lightly. Sophia's typical ditzy smile formed on her lips and her eyes glimmered as to think about how she would make her grand entrance on the farm house fashionably late as she tended to do for all of her entrances.

This one would be epic. Maybe she should convince Orland to come with her, they could celebrate with the family. After all, Orland and Aria were very close friends. Maybe more than that, they had so much sexual tension that it was noticeable to everyone. Oddly enough, neither admitted it.

But Aria acted rather flirtatious towards him. Sophia and many others had witnessed it themselves. It was no secret that she said and did questionable things, Orland didn't complain about it. Seeing them in denial really was hard to deal with. So, with a cheery smile, the fortune teller's daughter skipped on her way down to the general store to pick up some ingredients to make some homemade food for her friends on their birthday. To make a dish they both equally like. After all, she only had five days and cooking wasn't really a talent for her.

* * *

Soon enough, Aria found herself leaping off the small boat onto the shore of the small island where it was always summertime. She never really bothered to learn the name of the place, but this has been the destination she and Orland sparred together for a few years since he started learning how to fight.

She loved the climate of it, the scent of fresh oranges, open space to plant summer crops, and the feel of the hot sand and cool water between her toes and fingers. Relaxing on the beach was something she absolutely enjoyed, no doubt. And when necessary, she brought along friends. Mostly Leann, Sophia, Cammy, sometimes even Sera and Serena when they weren't with Aaron. But this place was just the perfect spot for sparring.

It's lack of space provided a struggle, to help improve fighting when cornered. And it's climate drew out the sweat and effort. It's cool waters were nice to splash in after being worn out. Just for extra practice; they could go deeper in and beat the roaming monsters up a little, before they were back in the Forest of Beginnings of course.

Orland was perfectly on time as usual, he stood there already armed with his blade. It was a short, small one that was crafted by Tanya of course. But he talked her into designing it to match his skill level, and having a weight just slightly over what he could normally lift for a challenge. It's golden body gleamed as sunlight reflected, the handle a shiny silver. It almost looked exactly like Aria's, except the handle on hers was a ruby red 'cause that was her favorite color. And she just happened to have rubies in her rucksack at the time.

"Late as usual." Orland shook his head disapprovingly, once again unsheathing the blade. Aria merely smiled nervously and came closer, pulling out her blade, the rubies engraved on the handle glimmered.

"Sophia held me up, but I'm proud to say I managed to get away. It's not that I hate her, but the girl just won't take a hint you don't want to talk!"

"If you ask me, she really is hard to get along with. I still haven't managed to befriend her, nor do I think I will."

"She's not _**that **_repulsive, Orland. You still need to be less harsh on humans." Aria's tone was scolding, she was serious this time. Whenever Orland put down humans, she was slightly offended. She thought he was over it. "Do we need to have another long and drawn out talk about this? Or should we just spar and get the anger out that way?"

"Well, I've been waiting." Aria didn't have the opportunity to assume a defensive stance, because Orland had already started advancing fast, blade ready to strike.

The farm girl was surprised, but not really all that much. She was quick and graceful on her feet, spinning just out of harm's way and raising her own sword to strike his. When they struck each other for a brief moment, the sparring match was on. Officially.

The match went on for several minutes, both Aria and Orland now almost at the same level with skill. So it was no contest whom was better. Having been fighting since she was a kid, Aria had more experience. But since he started learning this on a whim years ago, the half elf boy has really gotten better and better with the extra practice and their almost daily sparring.

Aria was able to block a lot of his attacks, she left little to no openings for a defeat and constantly jumped around with grace. Occasionally getting pushed to the water edge when their blades met and it was all of contest of strength to separate and continue. She used her agility to her advantage and climbing atop the boat and leaping off, surprising her opponent with a midair attack tended to work her way.

But Orland really could handle himself as well. And he was almost too good with dodging attacks that looked direct and unavoidable with ease, wearing a poker face afterward as if it was all child's play. He too had agility and was very fast, surpassing Aria with that and blocking near every sneak attack except when she sprang into the heat of action from midair and struck this way. He still could begin to read when she showed signs of ready to to do, and his sword was lifted high and in full position to block and protect from accidentally getting chopped. He was too fast on his feet sometimes, really able to knock her off him and leave her defenseless.

Things were going fairly normal like every spar. No sexual tension, no rush of hormones when getting too close. No uncomfortable feelings of having to fight back the opposite sex. All they could see was an opponent before them: sex didn't matter, the proximity didn't matter, and any tension steaming from possible romantic feelings forgotten. Although, with their equal levels of skill, it would seem there would be no victor.

But one changing occurrence happened _**out of the blue**_...

In the middle of the match, things were getting a little tough and struggles to move on began to arise at the usual time. It was obvious the end was near. Orland stood at one end of the beach panting, his grip on the blade rougher than necessary and his mussed blond hair falling to his shoulders and forehead Aria was on the other end, trying to catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed and red, burning up. She glared through her rad bangs and her skirt had gotten accidentally slit badly on the right leg.

But they both wanted to finish this damn match. If their knowledge of the genre was correct, and they were savvy enough, then this would determine whom would become the winner so to speak.

Soon, Aria got a surge of energy that had been welling within her body. Like that of the monsters when they got really pissed off and acted at the drop of a hat. Her grasp on the handle of the sword rough although shaky, she dashed across the beach, but went past Orland.

And this was shocking, he really didn't see that coming. Orland could only stare, his focus on the fight wearing and his guard gone. He decided to chase after her, making it only centimeters from the boat as Aria performed a back flip off, landing perfectly on her feet behind him.

Being so tired and exhausted, Aria had not calculated this well. So she landed to her feet, and that as when Orland turned around. The next thing she knew, she was too close to him. Too close. There were barely any distance whatsoever with the way she had slipped closer against his body, their weapons had fallen to the sandy ground. Aria's because she made a awful mistake and tripped. Orland because he reacted instinctively and caught her, but his arms were securely around her back, just under she shoulders. While she was pressed too close and her head on his chest.

Something about this was too awkward. Aria could feel her face, and body, warm intensely. Her ear was against his chest, she at least knew he was surprised as well judging by the way it was beating loud and erratically. She knew she had to get away, but she almost didn't want to leave this position because there was something keeping her here. She liked having his strong arms around her frame, listening to the beat of his heart which was the oddest melody in her mind.

He should have just released her immediately, she was no weakling and wouldn't have perished as to fall on her ass to the beach. So why did he still hold on as if fearing her safety? Why did he like holding her and just feeling her body against his own? He was sure that his face had gone bright red, as well as the rest of his body considering the vast heat. He had almost frozen up, and catching her was all a blur, he barely even realized he had done it until all was said and done. Could she sense how nervous he was?

Eventually, the two came to their senses. Orland's hands slowly, really slowly, pried away from her torso. And Aria shuffled out of his hold and backed up several inches away. While an awkward silence filled the entire beach, the two struggled to say something. Finally settling for putting their weapons back and averting their gazes from each other.

Neither had to declare it, they knew the sparring match was over. There was just no freaking away they could continue after that weird, weird moment. Any emotions that had been flying through their heads shouldn't have existed. And the approval, just, just the approval of it. _**INAPPROPRIATE**_.

One question had gone through both of their heads: _What the hell just happened?_ which did seem valid. Really, what did happen during that moment? And what other awkwardness could follow it up and could compare to it?

* * *

To Be Continued In Chapter 03

StormofyourDestiny: I truly hope you found the chapter enjoyable! MidnightSakuraBlossom always loves to hear feedback on her work, and 'tis fitting if she gets whatever kind of replies she deserves. I, personally, found the chapter interesting if not just somewhat lacking in the impact department. *Cringes upon realizing MidnightSakuraBlossom-Chan will read this and holds a bulletproof shield against her body*

Sophia is an OC created by me, not MidnightSakuraBlossom. I once used her in Rune Factory fanfiction written back in 2009. The story is about Alicia (I like her one minute and dislike her the next, mostly because it's hard to marry her and she left me totally broke for weeks one time. But, I can honestly say she's attractive and I love her personality), she runs off to Trampoli after getting dumped by Kyle for another one of the girls and there...she meets a nice young man named Raguna. The two hit it off, but it turns out he was conflicted between being in love with her or Cinnamon, his girlfriend. So they have a one night stand before she leaves, Sophia comes to be that way. After some debating, I gave the okay to include Sophia and her backstory. This story I have written is titled A Life Worth Reconstructing (lame title, but I could not think of something better at the time. D8).

I probably won't ever publish that story. Well, unless anyone is interested in it, I may consider. But this would mean typing up a story from half a notebook full of story. YES, it literally took almost an entire notebook to write the whole thing.

Anyway, I apologize greatly for rambling on and on. Please read and review, I will give you cupcakes and a little sneak preview of the next chapter~! Please me faithful in waiting for the upcoming!


	3. Blame The Hormones

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: Three chapters in one year, unbelievable. Truly unbelievable for me considering I've been completely caught up in the violent wave currents of life! *Dramatic sigh and then gives herself a pat on the back* But I still managed to write this next chapter, because StormofyoutDestiny had writer's block for the most part...she wrote the beginning paragraph and left the rest for yours truly from there.**

StormofyourDestiny: Ahem, well, writer's block is my second WORST ENEMY. I assure you that something much worse than that dreaded obstacle in every writer's way would be...listening to people bash my home country. For God's sake, stupid trolls, I am proud to have been born in Scotland and I can't say I disagree with the lifestyle or our ways! But, I digress, this is irrelevant. *Composes herself, and then puts a sweet smile back on her face* It is true I wrote the first paragraph, the rest was in my friend's capable fingers.

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: That's what she said...? :P**

StormofyourDestiny: You and your odd humor. 8( My friend, I truly wonder if I will too fall victim to those pathetic attempts at jokes. Now, should you want a real joke, you should hear those about Irish stereotypes-

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: *Looks at nonexistent watch on her wrist and then claps a hand over her friend's mouth* Oh, look at the time! Rather than offending the possible Irish readers, let us get to the chapter! (No offense, I'm serious! StormofyourDestiny and her rough humor...haha...) By the way, neither of us own Rune Factory or it's cast of characters!**

* * *

Forever And Always?

Chapter 03: Blame The Hormones

Orland was only a friend to her. And just because of one meaningless moment out of the blue, there was absolutely not a chance Aria would fall so far. She knew she had a crush on him as a child and even "got married" to him, but they were grown up now and such feelings should have dissolved away. Now as the time...to move onward.

The stupid hormones was what caused the awkwardness to follow that moment whilst sparring earlier! Those freakin' hormones always sneaked up on teenagers and led them into more or less confusing situations that had no escape and could only get worse and worse as it all crumbles in front of the eyes of many. She didn't feel that way about Orland, it was because of the misdirected hormones which went off for them. She was sure that when she encountered him the following day, he would forget all about it and Aria would be no longer embarrassed to death.

* * *

A few hours passed and Aria found herself back at the farm house slumped in her chair at the table. Aaron was beside her and their parents where on the opposite. The soft glow of the candles was comforting and the freshly prepared veggie juice and seafood pizza were good, Kyle was a rather great cook even now.

But Aria wasn't very focused on the meal, she was the only one not talking. Her expression was glum and her bites of the pizza were slowed more and more to the point of she put the remains back on her plate and rested her chin on her palm, looking off into space.

"...And then Cammy told me Roy was going to make this new sword which is a new kind that only recently was crafted in a nearby kingdom. He wants to be the first to craft it here and will probably give to me as a slightly-belated birthday present. She always spilling information, but I am so pumped up about this!"

"That's good, Aaron. I hope you'll be more careful with it, however, and won't break it like you did your last..." Dorothy mentioned, leaning back in her seat and smiling with a hint of nostalgia as she recalled the story. Aaron's excitement faltered somewhat, he hated having to remember this event. "When you trudged into the ice caves on a silly dare last Autumn. If Aria, Leonal, and your father hadn't went into the caves to find you...you would have frozen to death while being held hostage by the monsters."

"Mom, do you have to bring that up?" Aaron whined slightly, his cheeks pinked and he looked away. Dorothy just brushed off his embarrassment and then returned to eating.

Nobody seemed to really notice Aria's lack of interjections into the conversation. She usually always had something to say at dinner and nothing could restrain her from doing so. When people brought up that story about the dare Leann gave Aaron when he tried to brag about being tough and manly, she would add fuel to the fire and increase her brother's embarrassment by pointing out how fearful he was of dying or getting eaten after the monsters gained up on him in a corner.

After what happened today, she just felt stripped of the usual energy. She couldn't help but dread the thought of having to set things right with Orland. And what would happen if the incident repeated in another sparring match?

Now she just had a headache trying to process all of this. Aria sighed aloud, not caring at the moment if anyone noticed her depression, and pushed her barely-touched plate away. "I'm finished. I have to go lie down now."

Aria had three pairs of eyes watching her with confusion as she arose and then left them. Her steps were somewhat hurried as she fled to her room to think about that experience with Orland privately and not among the noise.

It wasn't until his sister had left, did Aaron roll his eyes and then sneakily reach for the slice of pizza. Hey, he didn't want to waste some food just because his sister wanted to suddenly turn depressive and lose her interest in eating over probably-stupid things. Like other girls her age tended to do.

Kyle and Dorothy were understandably confused. Their daughter was usually such a glutton especially with seafood pizza. Something was not right, and they felt It would be best to investigate the problem.

The first to make a stand was Dorothy. She took a last sip of her vegetable juice and arose from the table. "I'm going to speak with Aria. She seems to be acting strange."

"Go easy on her, Mom."

"Aaron, just eat your dinner. From the way it looks, it must be serious."

"Yeah...doesn't Aria always come to both you guys when she's in a jam?"

"She always has." Kyle interjected, slightly wistful. He hadn't been confronted with a problem from Aria in weeks and it was bothering him. Hey, he even had to deal with female problems when Dorothy was away for God's sake. He arose as well. "Maybe I can talk to her-"

"No, honey, let me talk to Aria." Dorothy noticed Kyle's wistful look. She smiled apologetically and leaned in to peck his lips before leaving the kitchen.

* * *

Dorothy's feet softly padded the floor as she made her way to her daughter's room. The halls were dim lit with candles and had a nice scent from various flowers attached to decorations. She soon stopped at the door and politely rapped her fist against it.

But she got no response.

Dorothy remained patient. She once again rapped the door, this time asking, "Aria, are you in there?"

"Yeah, door's unlocked."

Her pale hand fell on the doorknob and Dorothy opened up the barrier between her and her daughter. Shes stepped inside to see Aria sitting at her wooden desk apparently dumping out recently-mined gems from her rucksack. But there was a look of mild depression on her face as she did so, this clearly was not normal.

"Aria, I came to ask what's wrong." Dorothy spoke up, catching Aria's eye easily. She crossed the room and ran her fingers through her fiery hair. "We noticed you didn't eat much at dinner and you have returned home acting depressed. If there's something wrong, I think we should discuss it."

Aria didn't want to admit there was something wrong. She hated heart to heart talks like that. And even if she didn't mind coming to her mom for other types of advice, she didn't want her to believe her troubles with Orland were from tension leaning on the suspicion of hormones. She had been trying to grow close to the elven boy for years, and finally succeeded.

They were admittedly close, but not intimately. And she certainly did not still see him as a possible love interest. She could not be like Aaron and confess her feelings when everything was so confusing. Maybe growing up really was more trouble than it was worth.

Normally, Aria liked to not show her problems. Thinking of herself as independent. In this case, she couldn't mask her doubt and fear of losing a friend. The confusion was there as well, and she just wanted to be free from it. Maybe her mother could help after all.

Instead of putting up the usual fight against having to get advice, Aria arose from her seat and began to walk the floor aimlessly while her mother watched. "Mom, you would be depressed too if you've been having weird thoughts for your best guy friend. I don't know what to do...I don't want to go too far, I just want us to be like how were when we are kids! Well, maybe not exactly, because I had a crush on him during most of the times, but y-you get the f-freaking point!"

Oh yes, Aria tended to go off on rapid talking when she was totally flustered or confused. Dorothy merely listened patiently, not wanting to rush or interrupt her now when she was finally letting her help with a problem.

Aria's cheeks turned bright red as she walked back and forth frantically, her hands clasped and behind her back. She couldn't look up at her mom's face. She knew she would get some very long explanation about puberty and all that crap. She didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to grow up like this even though she did look very forward to the day she could be considered legal in this area.

It would be great to finally have some recognition that the adults got when they accomplished something. But having to deal with hormones and thinking her friend was alluring was not cool at all.

Dorothy still remained quiet, she understood what was happening. But she waited for Aria to stop pacing and get herself under control. Her daughter finally took a deep breath, calmed herself and looked up at her partially hidden face. By the way, Aria noticed, she really shouldn't hide her face like that anymore. She had such pretty eyes.

"Um...I probably sound ridiculous for saying this...Mom, I've been acting so weird around Orland. It's not right and I feel like our friendship is doomed forever." Aria murmured, it was just loud enough for Dorothy to hear. The soon to be young adult ungracefully plopped onto her nearby bed and held her head in her hands. "I know I felt the table abruptly and I've been acting depressed, I can't help it. You didn't have to follow me, however, I just want to be alone and quietly fall to pieces because of my messed up friendship!"

"Aria, I'm just concerned." Dorothy approached her daughter and sat near her on the bed, affectionately running her fingers through her hair that was now free from it's ponytails. "Listen to me: it's not ideal to lock yourself in your room without facing your problems. If there's something wrong with your friendship with Orland, let it all out."

Understanding, vaguely, Aria nodded. But she collapsed back onto the bed in an attempt to be dramatic. She looked up at the ceiling vacantly as she mentioned, "You broke me down, Mom." Aria's arms crossed behind her head and she offered a quick chuckle at the turn of events, before she returned to her passive stare. "Today...and several times in the past, I've had the strangest moments where my heartbeat quickened upon seeing Orland and I actually enjoyed getting to stare into his eyes. Lately, I notice they're so piercing and blue, I get lost and forget what I'm doing. And whenever I playfully flirt with him, I sometimes get the brief vibe I may have meant it. As far as interacting with him goes, nothing had changed with that...but I'm worried I'll eventually be too nervous to strike up a conversation. I already am nervous I'll do something wrong in front of him and he'll think I'm stupid."

With every word, Dorothy's smile increased. Because she knew what was going on, there was no mistake in her mind now. Nevertheless, she remained silent and decided it would be best to let Aria voice her problems and concerns before saying anything. In the past, her father Gordon hadn't any patience when it came to helping her with her problems because she was shy and couldn't get the words out. Her daughter luckily wasn't as shy as she used to be before meeting Kyle, but that didn't mean she wasn't above occasional moments.

It seems Aria would be confused when it came to blossoming love just as she was. This was either highly interesting or meant more problems and drama for the family and circle of friends.

"Today, we went to the beach to spar. We spar almost every day and it goes great, there's a rush and burn in my muscles and I feel like I get stronger each time. Orland has also shown improvements and can handle himself without my tips. I thought nothing would change today...but something happened totally out of the blue." Aria's tone was fond and nostalgic at first, but gradually turned somber as she went on. She cut it off there, nervous to give more detail and her shy body language showed it.

This was when Dorothy interjected to move the explanation along, "What happened to you and Orland? You didn't...fall into an inappropriate position, right?"

The blush on Aria's cheeks intensified. Mortified by that suggestion, she immediately sat back and waved her hands wildly. "N-no! How could you even suggest that? Ack, that probably will happen next time we spar!"

While Aria collected herself yet again, Dorothy gazed around the room. Just noticing the dark and sturdy walls, wooden floor, and simple furniture style and arrangements. She was glad they lived in a simple structure rather than some flashy setting, and worried that Aria would one day hope to live somewhere crowded and over the top if she ever left Alvarna like she occasionally hinted at.

Finished with the flustered antics she usually went into after breaking, Aria's facial expression turned glum. Basked in the soft candlelight making it visible. Underneath her long bangs that concealed her eyes, Dorothy's eyes softened.

"When I leaped off that boat-thing we use for transportation...I was ready and getting into the battle. I didn't care about anything else but landing a decent blow and knocking him off his feet as I used to do so easily when we were young." Aria shifted around and faced her mother, rubbing the back of her neck timidly, almost hesitant to go on and explain the reasons for her moping around. "Something went wrong, because I unsteadily launched myself and nearly had a rough landing to the ground. But Orland...he dropped everything to catch me. When he held me securely, I...I...uh..."

"Did you like that more than you should have, Aria?"

"Mmm hmm. Yeah, but, it's probably nothing, right? Right?"

Dorothy sighed and looked at the wall, crossing one delicate leg over the other. She didn't think she would ever have to talk to Aria about why she felt weird around boys. Aria, of course, did know what made males and females different and an okay enough knowledge of reproduction and why she bled to death once a month. She, however, refused to believe she would someday start seeing them as sexy and wanting to be with them no matter what the cost.

Though Aria always felt strange around Orland and this was not random and sudden. When she was a little girl, she had occasionally reported how she sometimes thought he was cute and swooned whenever he agreed to look at the cherry blossoms or ask her to dance at a certain festival. Some vibe overcome Dorothy since, she secretly thought that Aria could really have a chance with Orland. But when she told Kyle of her suspicions, he tried to brush it off.

But Dorothy knew why he brushed it off and she wasn't mad. She kind of understood, after all, there had been some drama concerning Kyle, Dorothy, and Orland's parents Jake and Cecilia. But, this was to be thought of at another time.

If they ever did upgrade their relationship...oh, Dorothy shivered to think of what may happen afterward. Would her daughter go so far for love or would she give up and move on? Well, looking at her now, she had no doubt in her mind she could handle herself. And Aria would make the right decision because it was the way she rolled. Aria never did anything without thinking, unless it came to pulling her occasional pranks.

Turning back to her distressed daughter, Dorothy offered a mildly sympathetic smile. "Aria, there's a certain reason why you felt strangely in that moment. I know you hate being told this, however it's the truth." Aria couldn't handle hearing it again, from what Dorothy could see. As she pressed her hands to her face and groaned loudly, Dorothy put an arm around her shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "Yes, it's the teenage hormones rising. It's natural to feel weird around the opposite sex, or same sex should you live that way, and it's nothing to worry about."

"Mom, me and Orland hang out a lot. We're so close, like this," Aria argued, peeling her hands back and then emphasizing her point by wrapping her fingers together to her mother's view. "And any hormones are gonna totally wreck it. How can I hang out with him without worrying about considering attacking him in a kiss or gazing at his abs, face, or butt when it's totally inappropriate at the point in time?"

"You have to go through it with anyone. It seems Orland just happens to be the first target for the hormones to flare at."

"But we're never going to...no...I wouldn't even dream of ever hooking up with Orland!"

If that was true, why did she once have a crush on him and even go as far as to engage in a pretend marriage? Okay, Aria tried to assure herself this meant nothing. They've grown up and things have changed since that point, she obviously matured and forgot about it. But wait, did this mean the hormones were rising around him first because...

Because fate was giving her hints to the fact she would end up with Orland in the future? Could this really happen?

There were a lot of things Aria felt she should reveal to her mother. The fact she did once have a crush on Orland and considering marrying him in the future, her occasional thoughts of what life would be like alongside him through it all, or her feelings she encountered when it was the two of them or he said something that could be considered ambiguous with the meaning. She let the moment pass by, not asking about any of the mentioned. The teenage farm girl just sat there fiddling with her hands and letting her brown-colored eyes lock on the comforter.

Barely nothing any of it, Aria endured a much-loathed personal girl to girl talk. While Dorothy told her about how she shouldn't act so depressed and annoyed by her strange feelings to her friend, she should give in because there was no other choice, and she would someday realize she should settle down with someone, blah blah, Aria lied on her bed with her arms crossed across her torso. She stared up at the ceiling with her head spinning with thoughts.

Maybe the talk was stupid as hell. Maybe she would always lose the battle when it came to her hormones kicking in at the wost times. Maybe she would someday settle down but hopefully it wouldn't be with a close guy friend such as Orland. One thing was apparent to her, some point she greatly clung to: she would live her life while she could. She wouldn't settle down too soon, as she had wide world to explore with her brother in just a few more days. Which...everyone else would find out on their departure date, if a certain perky daughter of a fortune teller wouldn't spill the beans so soon of course.

Dorothy knew the talk probably wasn't ridiculous in the end. Aria needed to understand it wasn't uncommon for her to be attracted to her friend. Hey, they have been through so much and knew a lot of secrets the other harbored. Orland didn't admit it often, but Aria did, the fact that they have created a bond. She experienced this herself, once, with Kyle.

The story is quite complicated, Dorothy wasn't sure if sharing it with her daughter was a good decision right now. The major details was that she always admired Kyle since first meeting, he always was patient with her and helped sooth problems. The two became close, but since they hadn't ever been in love, they weren't sure if this was that strange emotion or a complex friendship. And, of course, as his attention began to shift towards the half-elf maid – now Orland's mother...

* * *

Finished with dinner, Kyle and Aaron decided to team up to tackle washing the dishes since Dorothy was still upstairs. They made their way into the kitchen, Kyle's eyes focused on his son in an unusual way as he remembered something he wanted to discuss with him. Aaron didn't suspect a thing, he was casually complaining about having to clean up and not even looking his dad's way while doing so.

Still, Aaron didn't want to get chewed out for not doing his fair share of work. He didn't mind watering and harvesting the crops, feeding and brushing the monsters, or tracking down Yue on her business days, but he simply did not like housework of any kind. That was probably why his bedroom was like a war zone and dust reaching from the kitchen to the main bedroom. He pulled himself together anyway, and swiftly shoved the plates and cups into the small sink.

Kyle was at his side, not really saying anything as he put in his own stack of some dishes used the previous night. He reached for a complex-designed lever to signal the water from the contraption of a plumbing system to douse the plates with water. Finally, shaking his head, he voiced a certain topic he couldn't believe he was finally bringing up.

"Aaron...I overheard something strange last night when I was going to the kitchen for something to drink."

"Okay, I experience the same thing sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night." Aaron replied casually, still not seeing where he was going with that. Kyle rolled his eyes as his slightly-oblivious son continued. "One time I thought it was one of the monsters screeching, it was just branches scrapping the windows though. And once, I heard Aria freaking out because of some pimples on her cheek-"

"Actually, Aaron, I overheard these things from your room." Kyle explained, his tone was sort of quiet and a little hesitant. Mostly because he still wasn't sure his son would get a clear pic of what he was talking about.

However, Aaron paused as if in thought. To remember anything that may have happened to make him bring up these _strange things_...he soon stared, speechless as he realized.

"No parent wants to hear something like that from their kid's room, but I thought I should mention you're not as modest as you are when awake." Kyle continued, noticing Aaron's expression revert to panic and mortification as the memories of what he had dreamed the previous night resurfaced. This had to have attention, or else... "Aaron, you know it's not uncommon to dream of that stuff, right? I told you this already."

Aaron avoided answering that, countering with a horrified question of his own as he stepped forward and grasped his dad's shoulders. "Did I really make any sounds? And was there anything mentioned about 'Serena, you're gonna make me...'?"

"You know Aria sleeps heavily and I don't think your mom overheard it. I was the only one awake. But I did hear some babble that could be more or less questionable..."

God, did he really say things like that? Well, in that dream, he did experience some suggestive moments with Sera and Serena together. Aaron didn't know what was going on, all he knew was they were willingly scantily clad and kept showing off before all three of them went to the bed together and...well, not much happened after this before Aaron woke up burning up all over and the sheets were soaked.

Aaron almost didn't look at the twins the same way this morning. He did manage though, but he knew that he would never speak of what happened to his parents. They would probably freak out, as Kyle flawlessly explained with the '_no parent wants to hear something like that from their kid's room_' comment.

Now he was screwed. Kyle did know what happened, he at least had a good theory. He finally looked in his son's direction, Aaron kept his face low as it lit up red as if set aflame. There was a silence, during which Aaron was praying that maybe he'd die right then and wouldn't have to suffer any more of this. What if his mom or sister entered the room at that time? Or what if Sera and Serena happened to let themselves in and listened to the embarrassing exchange of words?

The dishes were soon forgotten, Kyle began to walk out of the kitchen area and motioned for his son to follow. They passed the living room-dining room combined, and into a very small and narrow hall next to the staircase. The room they entered was a study, Kyle mainly used it to store furniture and to relax from a rough day. But he decided it would be a nice and quiet place to discuss this topic. They wouldn't be disturbed here.

Aaron was hesitant to sit down, he thought if he did so he may have a sword in the back of his head or something. But he finally eased a small amount and reclined on a worn old rocking chair and Kyle was seated on the edge of a pale red couch.

Having gathered the words he believed were fitting to say, Kyle was the first to continue the exchange his son dreaded more than anything.

"Aaron, I've no reason to punish you or anything." Kyle said, trying to lesson the headache forming. As he almost had no idea how to sooth the tension between him and Aaron now, he always had been awkward in these moments. Aaron was surprised, he lifted his head and stared with widening eyes. "You know it's completely normal for that to happen to guys your age. All it means is the hormones are really kicking in and you're obviously attracted to Sera and Serena."

"I wouldn't say I was attracted to the both of them..." Aaron muttered, hoping to save face.

But his dad would have nothing of it. Because he knew it was like to like two girls at once. But that was years ago, and he did end up with the one he found he truly loved. His son was perhaps more...obvious about this situation, but he was young and would someday choose which of the twins he felt more strongly about. He just hoped Ray or Rosalind wouldn't be against him liking the two of them now. But, Ray was a good friend, he was understanding at least.

"Aaron, I've never told you before...but..." Kyle leaned back in the seat, caught up in the wave of nostalgia flashing before his eyes. He wasn't off of the previous subject, and he had once been hesitant to reveal this part of his past, but he thought Aaron could use the mild comfort of the fact it wasn't unusual to like two people and...yeah. "Years ago, when I moved here to Alvarna, I first met Dorothy after settling in. She was so cutely shy, I knew immediately I was sold by her personality and her unique looks. But I barely knew her, and made it a mission to get her to break out of her shell and hook up with me. During my journey to do so, Cecilia also won me over with her charms and caring nature..."

Aaron was hooked by the story at first, seeing as though he never was told of how Kyle and Dorothy ended up together. But when he heard the name Cecilia, he was sold entirely. Cecilia was the half elf maid at the manor, _Jake's wife_, and_ Orland's mom_!

"...I was sure I cared deeply about them both, but I was a little bit of player and courted them whenever possible. The two both opened up to me after a few seasons, and I felt cornered when they finally discovered I was dating them both without ever saying anything. They weren't pissed off, they didn't get into a catfight, but they did tell me I needed to choose who I really loved."

"So...you chose Mom?"

"To be honest, I couldn't choose right at that moment because I had to think it over myself." Kyle shook his head and then went on, seemingly annoyed with his past self for trying something risky like courting two girls at once against their knowledge. "A season passed before I woke up with realization. I remember it was a chilling Autumn day when I hurried with the farm work, ran down the streets to the manor, and met up with Cecilia. I wanted to tell her..." Aaron leaned forward expectantly, very much into the story. He thought Kyle was trying to keep him in suspense with the senseless pauses he was doing on purpose. "I didn't truly love her, it must have been the hormones and the fact she was such ideal wife material. When I told her, she was composed and understanding – and told me she realized that there was something between her and Jake, she felt like she was meant to be with him. I then got into contact with Dorothy and invited her to the forest..."

"Forest, eh? That's kind of forward. You two didn't...you know, did you?" Aaron interrupted suddenly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he asked.

"No, we waited...sort of...don't worry." Kyle said with a hint of amusement. Aaron's cheeks flushed red for an instant as he nodded and glanced to the floor. "Anyway, all I can say is that through a dramatic experience very deep in the forest, I confessed everything. In Winter, we tied the knot as soon as we could because...we sort of celebrated surviving that mentioned experience too passionately and you and Aria happened to be the result."

Aaron got the wrong picture for a moment. He gasped and reeled back into the chair nearby. "Y-you mean you had a shotgun wedding? Isn't that a sin or something?"

"It wasn't really a 'shotgun wedding', we were both wanting to be together. And everyone else in the town knew, even if they did stare at the two of us when in the same presence and a certain fortune teller wouldn't stop inspecting Dorothy's growing stomach at every opportunity." Kyle said with amusement twinkling in his eyes. Aaron calmed, apparently relieved he didn't have to be ashamed of his parents only marrying because he and his sister were already conceived. The amusement gradually stilled, Kyle returned to the story, "In any case, me and your mother had a great wedding and were rewarded with you two. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...I don't approve of you wanting, emphasis on _wanting_, two girls. Keep in mind, I'm not angry. I will let it slide that you're finally reaching the point of constant erotic dreams and you don't have to scrub the floors until your fingers combust. And the time will come when Sera and Serena will tell you to choose." Kyle's eyes flickered closed and he smiled. "I know you'll make the right choice, no matter what kind of mayhem stands in the way."

Alone, the story was nice to hear. Aaron never had been told of this, and he briefly wondered if Kyle was skirting some details because there were a few things he was curious about. But, perhaps luck was on his side as he wouldn't be punished for... and he got to hear a great story at that!

A few moments later, Kyle told Aaron to not blab to Dorothy he shared this story. He asked why, but didn't get a response. So he decided it was best to obey, he didn't want to cause any arguments between a usually-healthy relationship like theirs. Even if their marriage could seem like a shotgun type in some point of view. Aaron just tried to not focus on that. God knows what Gordon said when they told him his oldest daughter got pregnant by him and they were to get married soon with him performing the ceremony. There probably was conflicted emotions. But not quite as much as it would be if he had chosen Mana and faced Douglas...

There was still a silence left behind. Now that Aaron was told of the consequences between chasing two girls, there was something else he needed to hear. He already knew the basics of reproduction and why exactly he would sometimes be faced with unfortunate arousal. But Kyle wanted to explain a few things about keeping this all under control so the hormones would not win.

Long story short, Aaron left the room afterward as red as the strawberries they always grew for Cammy's benefit, but he was still amazed at the same time by the story of how he and Aria came to be from the problems of Kyle's love life. He promised not to tell Dorothy he was informed of the events, but did that mean he couldn't tell his sister?

On the other side of town, Orland was in his room. The lights were dim and he was sitting cross-legged in an old creaky chair trying to finish up the secret work for Aria's birthday gift. His eyebrows connected with concentration and his hands were almost twitching uneasily briefly when he assumed a mistake was made.

It seemed strange to him, he wasn't quite as focused on Aaron's gift. The two knew of each other decently, but couldn't say they were friends of anything like that. He did, however, find Aria special and worked with determination on hers. He wasn't sure why, to be honest.

When he returned home, he skipped dinner just to finish the work early. Cecilia had even poked her head in and asked him what he was doing. And when she noticed the project, could merely smile and casually prompt him to admit he was unusually focused on Aria's birthday gift. He didn't mind that...he ignored it like he tended to do when not giving a damn.

However, eyes widened and heat pooled into his cheeks when his knowing mother asked if he was going to be courting her anytime soon and the gift would be used as a confession. Actually giving a damn this time, he glared coldly in her direction and she laughed and left him alone to work. Whether she was just being playful or brutally curious was up to anyone's interpretation. He merely was far too flustered at that point to think into it.

His thoughts that once didn't involve her whatsoever soon put Aria in the light. Orland stopped for a brief moment to lean back tiredly, thoughtfully, letting his mind reel backward to when they sparred previously. When that out of the blue incident occurred. He didn't know why he thought anything of it, it meant nothing but Aria being a clumsy fighter.

Still...he actually liked holding her so closely. She was warm and made his senses go crazy. No, he couldn't possibly be falling for her, he told himself weakly. Like he had been told by his parents that he was around that age to start seeing the opposite gender in a totally different way, and maybe the hormones were just trying fulfill those shallow ways and make him believe he wanted his – pretty much – only friend badly.

It was ridiculous. Stupid hormones wouldn't be able to battle if he contained no such feelings for Aria. So all Orland had to do was remain on guard and forcefully destroy any possible romantic ties to her. And the challenge...was accepted...weakly. But still accepted.

* * *

To Be Continued In Chapter 4

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: I am soooo sorry that took so long to publish, let alone write. I, um, got lost on...the...path of life?**

StormofyourDestiny: *Stares blankly for a moment and then gasps with realization* Naruto reference! You're worse than that lazy Kakashi with your excuses, my friend. And for that, I will do what I must. *Loads a gun threateningly*

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: O_O**

StormofyourDestiny: *Laughs cheerfully despite the chill still lingering in the air while she tosses away the gun* Kidding~! I suppose I should work on making dark jokes, huh? Yes, I fail to make them work. 8)

**MidnightSakuraBlossom: *Sigh of relief* Okay, ahem, well...we hope you enjoyed the chapter. There is more to come with the story, StormofyourDestiny is going to write it next time around and I'm sure you all can't wait for this. Also, it should be noted that I am going to tweak the summary a little, let's HOPE it attracts more readers. *Crucks knuckles in preperation***

StormofyourDestiny: ...8( I don't know, my friend. You tend to fail at writing summaries (NO OFFENSE INTENDED!). Anyway, please read and review! We shall return some time in the future with the next chapter and hopefully some juicy events to follow along now that certain pieces of information have been given and it seems Aria and Orland are noticing the tension~!


End file.
